Story of a Pruning 

Achhh... I've heard tales of this and seen this in operation. I've heard the whimpers of other branches and seen their beautiful shoots and leaves just FALL to the ground and dry up and die. And I've seen them sit there and take days and months and even years to come out again.

And now, I see Him coming. He has on those gloves and those tools look so ominous to me. Hope He's not gonna get me. There's His footsteps, sure and steady. I'll just look the other way. Maybe He won't see me if I'm not looking.

Uh-oh. I can hear Him breathing. He's not gotten this close to me in a long time. Now I feel the branches around me moving. Whew! Not me.

But then, this strong, yet oh so gentle hand wraps around my frail, little frame. And He turns my face and I have no choice but to look into his face. He speaks – actually it’s like a song – rolling from His words as they touch my very fiber.

A song – like music – that says "I care so much about you that I want to increase your heart." I am reminded of that other word of His. "I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart."

And although I sense deep compassion and love in that song, I still am aware of those shears and my whole being shudders and shakes, seemingly uncontrollable. He tenderly lets my fears subside into the embrace of His hand.

And finally, as I keep listening to the song of his heart’s words, I stop shaking. I sense other branches cheering me on – "we’ve been there; it’s not easy. But we’re here with you."

He speaks a word to me that this will be hard for me, but it is for greater growth.

As I lay in His touch, knowing what the shears will do, I am no longer afraid. How could I fear the one who has me as the apple of His eye? And the assurance comes that this path He’s chosen for me is good and righteous and full of love and increase.

So, reaching down deep into the Vine I find strength. Wow! I didn’t know that kind of sustenance was there. Like a river glorious His peace flows into every leaf and twig I have. But especially down deep into the heart of me I sense His life coursing.

The Vindresser says, " Come to me; I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls." He says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers Him out of them all." He speaks "thy dross to consume, thy gold to refine."

What is this peace that passes understanding? I don’t understand it. That’s funny, how can you understand something that passes understanding?

And then, ‘snip’, and ‘snip’ again, and then ‘clip;’ I close my eyes. And when I finally have the courage to open them, I’m not the same anymore. My world has completely changed. I’m still me, but just have a fresh cut where all my shoots used to be. I feel exposed, bare, naked. Can this really be true of me? Yet, I know it is His hand that has done this – not a storm, or happenstance, or my fault, or anyone’s fault. His hand. His plan.

The Vindresser smiles at me. Do I see a twinkle? A wisdom that knows something I don’t? Yeah, it’s like I can even hear that wisdom trickle into the ears of my now snub-nosed being.

Okay, I’ll just hang in here with the Vine and see what comes of this. I guess I have to admit that I’ve seen other branches grow through this and be so much more far-reaching and expansive.

The Vinedresser gently lets me go and walks quickly away.

That first night comes and I am colder than normal, but I’m finding that as I dig down into the Vine, I’m not as cold or lonely. I hear "he will be like a tree firmly planted, by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, its leaf does not wither, in whatever he does he prospers." And I "delight in His law, His words, His precious promises." "His song will be with me in the night."

So I’m on a new journey, and I look forward to new growth. Some of the days I feel the sun beating and the rains and the wind other days. But all along, that song just sings to me. Why didn’t I hear it like this before?

And I realize something else, I’m part of the Vine. Does that mean that if I suffer, the vine feels it too? The fellowship of sufferings. Wow! I can sense the way the Vine has suffered so much more than me. And my little nub can feel the other branches and sense anew the depth of what they’ve been through.

Hey, maybe there is something about this pruning!

So I rest; I wait; I drink; I listen, and I trust. I expectantly hope; for those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength, and they shall mount up with wings like the eagle; they shall walk and not faint, they shall run and not be weary.

And I don’t look at what I see and feel. I look at who the Vine is and listen to Him as this whole new world expands.

Blessed be that Vine! And the Vinedresser! In my life be glorified.

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